1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic pad used as an electronic percussion instrument.
2. Description of Related Art
There is known hitherto a disk-shaped acoustic cymbal made of brass, phosphor bronze or the like.
FIG. 11 shows an acoustic cymbal.
This acoustic cymbal 130 has an edge portion 101 which is an outer peripheral edge portion, a bow portion 102 which is an intermediate portion and a convex cup portion 103 which is a central portion. Here, if the edge portion 101 of the acoustic cymbal is struck with a percussion member such as a stick, a tone called a crash tone having a noise component is obtained. This tone is used to put emphasis in a musical performance. Also, if the bow portion is struck, a tone so-called legato tone or ride tone is obtained. This tone is used to add rhythm to a musical performance. Further, if the cup portion 103 is struck, a tone so-called a cup tone or a bell tone having many treble components is obtained. This tone is used to add rhythm to a musical performance. In this way, different tones can be obtained from the edge portion 101, the bow portion 102 and the cup portion 103 of the acoustic cymbal 130, respectively. It is, therefore, possible to expand a performance presentation by striking the edge portion 101, the bow portion 102 and the cup portion 103 separately. However, since the acoustic cymbal of this type produces loud sound when struck with a percussion member, it is inappropriate to be used for practice in an ordinary household. Further, since the tones cannot be changed, preparation of a plurality of types (i.e., sizes, materials and shapes) of cymbals is required.
In recent years, an electronic cymbal imitating the above-stated acoustic cymbal has been widely used. This electronic cymbal detects the striking position and the striking force of a stick or the like by means of a striking sensor, controls a sound source based on the detected striking position and striking force and thereby produces a cymbal sound (electronic percussion sound). The electronic cymbal can, therefore, advantageously lower the volume of the striking sound. As the electronic cymbal of this type, there are proposed an electronic cymbal made of hard resin such as ABS and enabling a striking sound for which volume is to be lowered produced from the electronic cymbal itself and an electronic cymbal (see Japanese Patent Unexamined Application Publication No. 10-207451) made by combining two disk-shaped frames having different sizes so as to enhance a sense of performance and a performance quality. In addition, there are proposed an electronic cymbal (see Japanese Utility Model Examined Application Publication No. 4-3358) wherein a cushion material is bonded to and a striking sensor is attached to the surface of a disk-shaped metallic cymbal and a cymbal sound according to the output of the striking sensor is produced, and an electronic cymbal (see Japanese Patent Unexamined Application Publication Nos. 11-184459 and 11-272266) enabling a striking sound (or vibration sound) for which volume is to be lowered without decreasing a striking sensation by providing many small holes bored in a disk-shaped metallic cymbal and the like.
Nevertheless, the above-stated electronic cymbal formed out of hard resin disadvantageously has a problem in that the striking sensation is different from that of an acoustic cymbal. The electronic cymbal made by a combination of two disk-shaped frames is disadvantageous visually.
Furthermore, the electronic cymbal having the cushion material bonded to the surface of the disk-shaped metallic cymbal and the striking sensor attached to the surface thereof and producing a cymbal sound has disadvantages in that, for example, it is difficult to detect a striking position (region) since a vibration wave contains many high frequency components and, therefore, tones are lacking in variation. Furthermore, since the output of the striking sensor largely differs between a case where the portion right above the sensor is struck and a case where portions other than this portion are struck, the sensitivity distribution of the striking sensor appears bad, so that it is disadvantageously difficult to detect a striking force with high accuracy.
Moreover, the electronic cymbal having many small holes bored in the disk-shaped cymbal has disadvantages in that the sensitivity distribution of the striking sound is not well improved and the detection accuracy of the striking position is low, although this electronic cymbal has an improved striking sensation.